Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Carmen’ – Care Guide

Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Carmen’ is a compact, richly coloured carnation variety grown for its vibrant red blooms, long flowering season, and classic spicy fragrance. With its tidy mounding habit and generous flowering performance, it is ideal for borders, edging, containers, and cottage-style planting schemes. This variety is particularly valued for its strong stems and repeat blooms, making it suitable both for garden display and for cutting.

Planting & Position

• Light:

  • Thrives in full sun, where it produces the best colour and the greatest number of flowers.

  • Will tolerate light partial shade but may become less compact and flower more sparsely.

• Soil:

  • Requires well-drained soil to prevent root rot.

  • Prefers slightly alkaline to neutral soil but adapts well to most free-draining garden soils.

  • In containers, use a gritty, well-draining multipurpose compost or a dedicated alpine mix with added perlite or grit.

• Spacing:

  • Space plants 20–30 cm apart to allow airflow and maintain a neat, rounded shape.

• Planting time:

  • Plant in spring after frost risk has passed, or in early autumn to establish before winter.

Care & Maintenance

Dianthus ‘Carmen’ is easy to care for and rewards regular attention with abundant flowering.

• Watering:

  • Water thoroughly after planting.

  • Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings; Dianthus prefer not to sit in wet soil.

  • Once established, they are moderately drought tolerant, especially in well-drained beds.

• Feeding:

  • Feed every 2–3 weeks in the growing season with a balanced liquid feed to support continuous blooming.

  • Container-grown plants benefit especially from consistent feeding.

• Deadheading:

  • Remove spent blooms promptly to extend the flowering season and encourage repeat flowering.

  • Cut flowering stems back to just above a leaf node.

• Trimming:

  • After the main flush of flowers, lightly trim back the plant to maintain shape and stimulate new growth.

• Winter care:

  • Hardy in most gardens but dislikes winter wet.

  • Avoid heavy mulching around the crown.

  • Improve drainage if the plant sits in a cold, damp spot.

Seasonal Interest & Uses

• Flowering:

  • Produces masses of deep red, frilled blooms from late spring into early autumn, often flowering in flushes.

  • Strong, spicy fragrance typical of carnations.

• Foliage:

  • Evergreen or semi-evergreen blue-green foliage provides structure year-round.

• Habit:

  • Forms a neat mound, typically 20–30 cm tall and 25–35 cm wide.

• Garden uses:

  • Ideal for front of borders, rock gardens, gravel beds, containers, window boxes, and cottage gardens.

  • Excellent as cut flowers thanks to long stems and strong colour.

• Wildlife:

  • Flowers attract bees and other pollinators during warm weather.

In Summary:

Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Carmen’ is a vibrant, fragrant carnation variety that offers months of deep red flowers on a compact, sturdy plant. Plant in full sun with excellent drainage, feed regularly, and deadhead spent blooms for continuous colour. Perfect for borders, containers, and cutting gardens, it provides reliable beauty with very little fuss.

• Size
  P9

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